Elevated trackway



Patented May 6, 11,930' Y j f isaiasi Y `UNITED STATES PATENT oi-Flcnf if,

LEE F. BERTHOLDAND wILLIMrl LOUDEN, or' rAInFrELn, 1owA,-Ass1GNons To THE LoUDEN `inncrnuimrconfirmar, or*` FAIRFIELD, IOWA, AooRPoRATIoN on IOWA` ELEvn'rED TRAcKWAY y v Application mea February 25, 1e28. Yserial No. 256,97.

Our linvention relatesto trackways for the proportions required in actual'use,as will i overhead carriers, made suitable for different constructions of buildings'in which'the trackways are used, and it consistsin making the trackwayl of dierentsizes of track-rails and joining them together to suit the conditions encountered, v as hereafter shown and described. v Also,rof improvements in the detailsof construction whichwill be hereafter shown and-described, and more definitely set forth inthe claims. Y

'In the accompanying drawings, forming av part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a side elevationofa trackway embodying ourinvention, some parts lof the connections being 1n I section and the ends and central portions being broken away to economize space in the drawing, and to keepit within requiredY limits.'V Figs. 2, 3, 4.-and 5 are vertically disposed. transverse -sections on lines 2-2, 3-3,

L /l, and 5 5 respectively of Fig. 1, looking horizontally in the direction of the arrows pointingto said lines in Fig. 1', the lateral d'1'- mensions o'Figfa being `somewhat reduced. Fig.6 is substantially a horizontally disposed transverse section on line 6 6 of Fig. 1,l looking upwardin thedirection of the arrow. Fig Visa side elevation of a supported trackway which will be hereafter explained. Fig. 8 is a vertically disposed` transverse section online 8--8'oAf-'Fig.7.-V n' v v F 9 'is' aside elevation ofa section of a still larger andstronger-trackway with a trolley lleleollg -Fg. is a vertically disposed. .transverse sectiononthejlme 10.-.10 o-Fig... 9, looking in the direction of thearrowyand its YlateralA dimensions being-*somewhat ,reduced. Figllli's "anenlarged vertical transverse section on linell---lll of 9,.which may represent either a transverse' section of eral; preferredV forms of the/parts, andno't"v lplainly by Fig. 5. i"

be hereafter explained.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a section of one of the larger track-rails, broken away near lits center, 'and B and C are sections` of -different forms ofY smaller track-railsl Whichfare joined by splicing means to op'pc.Y site ,endsV of the larger track-rail'A, said sec'-VY tions of the Sniallerrailsbeing broken away at their outer ends, and also near their centers.

The vsections of the railrepresented. by B is known to the art as the` double headed track# vrail, because it has beads Dand E on the upperand lowerl edges-of vertically disposed central webs thereon, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2. The. railrepresented by C is known as the single beaded track-rail, because it hasy only onebead F on theupper edge of its verj cally disposedlwebs on the rails VThese wheel supportinganges Gr must be of substantially Suppe-eng; flanges G,.extended outwardly from the vertif thesarne dimensions,` and when the ends oi the 'dierent track-'rails are joined together they mustall be in substantially the same al'gnment,"as shown in Fig. 1.' When thus dimensioned and aligned, andv a trolley, such as that representediby H is placed on the flanges G of any of the trackrails, its wheels `I willV be free to run on said langes'G vfrom .one enlto-the otherof the ,traclrwayVV nfllhetrackway' yis supported in elevated po# sition .by track hangers 'secured thereto-at cer- `tain points, and then connected to koverhead supportsfbut before going into theY `details.

of construction, itwill be well to make kno-wn j e Y fthe yspecial advantages, and,- consequentimthe track-rall shown 1nV thatfigure, ora stlll proveniente inusing differentsizes .of trackf 'i rails inthe same trackway.r So far as the ltrackrails Band' C are, concerned, itis not necessary that both should .be used Vin the-saine trackway, and generally both are not so used, unless there should be an insuilicient supply Y of eithertocomplete the trackway, Both styles are shown in the drawings to make clear that different styles of the smaller trackrails may be used if desired, the only essential being that the wheel supporting lianges G' must always be of substantially the saine di"- iiiensions and have the same alignment.

In regard to the larger track-rail A, its use in connection with either one or both, of the smaller track-rails B or C, or any equivalent of them, is to supply a want that is frequently felt iii the use of overhead Ytrackways and to Amake the same, in a number of cases, more practical and less expensive. As already stated, overhead trackways are generally held in elevated position by track hangers secured to the track-rail every lfew feet apart, and then connected to adjacent overhead sup-f ports, but itis well'known that these necessaryoverhead supports arenot always available in such a way that any practical form of track hangers can beA easily connected' to them. Sometimes the trackway has `to be run `through an open spacein a building having no available overhead supporting means,

i or betweenbuildings where there is no overhead supportingmeans .of any kind.Vv

- `In such Vcases this deficiency has to be made good by building up or furnishing a superstructure of some1-:1nd, which superstructure is generally expensive, and some-I times Qbjeetionable inother respects.v Y lIn ordinary cases of this kind, where the span is not too long, one of the most practical and least V objectionable forms of an improvised overhead supporting means is shown by Figs.

A 7 and 8. Y It consists of a large I-beam J supported in position at each tendby, suitable. means, not shown whicln Vwill Ybe strong enough to carry the load without central sup-5 ports. lFrom this I-beam a track-rail K is Y held imposition by a seriesioftrack hangers ai smaller trackrail or rails, and than CQrmect--.

, li properly secured to the trackway 'K and connected tev the Ifbeam J. l A large wooden beam might be used instead ofthe Iibeam but usually the I-beam is preferable. While this arrangement may in a number of cases fairf yly take the place of normal overhead supporting means, and be less objectionable than a regular built upV superstructure, it is nevertheless somewhat expensive-and also seine-f lower `flanges .G O a large specially consti-'ucted track-rail A, substantially thesanie dimensions as the wheel supparting flanges of .the

Y flanges N of the rail vA the smaller flangesing tlie ends of these smaller track-rails to the large specialtrack-rail A, so that their Wheel supporting flanges will all be in substantially the same alignment, whereby the wheels of the trolley Hwill run freely on said lower ianges (i of said larger track rail as Well as on the wheel supporting iianges Gr of the smaller track-rails, thus eliminating the Vtrack-rail K below the I-beain and also the hangers necessary to connect it to the I-beam. i

This arrangement enables theuser to have a light and inexpensive track-rail where it can be normally supported to carry the load required," and at the same time, to use a heavier and-stronger track-rail where it can-` not be'norinallysupported, instead of having to use theheavier and more expensive trackrail throughout the entire length ofthe track- Way, or to Yhave to build up an expensive and complicated superstructure to properly support the lighter track-rail where it .cannot be otherwise properly sup-ported.'` This also be readily :done with allsizeslof overhead trackways,wherebythey may be adapted to carry all kinds of? loads from theglightest'to the heaviest, i 1 l Y' l i y.,

llo 'fully carry out thisadvantage, ,allthat is necessary isA to procure a 'stilllarger .track rail M of the pattern of the rail A being sub-` stantially a specially eonstructedI-beam'with f Wider iianges on one edge of the web thany on"- the other, the narrower flanges .ofthe larger i'ail being substantially the :same dimensions asthewiderflanges N on the rail LIQ now turniover therail A andas shown Vin Fig. 9 join it to the larger rail M in the saine-way as-the rails and C kwere joined to the rail 'l 'i The flanges, 'on "which the trolley wheel' v,run

are alwayson the lower edgeof, theklfl'v` rails and mustlalway b3 ofsubstantially the same dimensions and Yin substantially thef same alignment. Y

Then arranged in this vwaythewheel Q1 of a larger trolley P will run 'oiiYg-the larger.,

@of the rail M as shown in Fig.r9, tliesame,

as the wheels I of the-trolley will run on.. thelangesG of the track-rails A, B and 0,. shown in Fig; l. lf necessary, the trac-tkway` can be again enlarged by gettingalltitherrand still larger track-rail of the type similar to` A, and M amlhai'ngfts Smaller flanges cor'- respond with tlieflaig iiaiiges'R of the rail'` M. Then turnover the V,rail Mfsoits largerjj langesR will be belowland also join it to the smaller flanges of this larger 4track rail inl'v the manner described 'In Figi l1 the-track rails B and C aiesliowii supported byh'angers. andk Tof usnaltype' c connected tozoverheadf supports, suchras the beams Us It lisxnecessaryfthat. the endsci they track-.rails A and' B lor ,C ,as well -a's-` the larger trackrail Myer any Still larssltleskrail which takes its Plaesheuldbe Securely cemieeted weather# .Y eier betises@ fie-'Xi suitable manner, butl as an. improvementin Ythe details of our invention,gwe have devised rals together, can also be used to connect the traclrway to overhead supports, such as the beamsU, or to any other available overhead support. Y

This combined track hanger and splice connection Vv is preferably composed of two parts which are connected to the web of the trackrail A and also C, by rivets lV, as most plainly shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6, and to the -traclrrail B by being clamped on the upper bead As shown, these plates are provided with large upstanding links X which may be connected to the overhead beams U, or to any other available overbe used to connect the combined hanger and splice plate V to available overhead supports; In the hanger part X1 of the splice plates V which connect the rails A, B and Ctogether a bolt W may be used if desired instead of a rivet,`as shown most plainly in Fig. 2.

As will be seen by the drawings, it is necessary that the upper and lower flanges on the track-rails A and M, or on any additional larger track-rails that may be used, shall be of different widths, and that the narrower flanges thereon Vshall correspond with the wheel supporting flanges of the smaller trackrails used therewith. fAlsO, that the `wider flanges on said rails, sucli'as N on track-rail A and R on rail M, shall correspond with the narrower flanges of the next larger trackrails, which may be used therewith. y

It will also be seen that smaller and larger trolleys can be used with the track-rail A, or with any larger rails which are constructed in the saine way that is, having narrower `flanges on one side and wider flanges on the other.V When the'narrower flanges of the lail A are below, the flangesY of the wheels I inust be limited in theiry diameters so they will not come in Contact with the wider Vupper flanges N of the rail A,`-' as shown in Fig. d, but when turned overas shown in Figs. 9 and l0, the wheels O'olithe larger trolley P may have flanges Z which will extend up beyond thenarrow flanges G. The saine will also be the case when the track railM is turned over to become the smaller rail in combination with a. still larger track-rail.

While it is preferable to use track-rails having flanges on opposite sides of a vertically disposed central web or webs, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, Y10 and 1l, other forms of track-rails may be used, if desired, provided means be used to properly balance them. Also that the larger wheel supporting means of the smaller rail will properly align with the y'c.ontaining `the drawings.l head supporting means. Instead or the links X any other suitable connecting means may smaller wheel supporting-means of the next larger rail, so that larger and smaller trolileysniay be used on the rails by -siinply turntherails upsideVv down, as shown inFsgs.

and 1 0. w

YOne object ojf ourl in-ventionjis to havefthe 'track-rails A and Mjand also any larger fsiinilar-track-rails whiehinay be used, to reach when; possible, across any 'span where there vmaybe .practically no available vove-'r- ,head supporting means. In order'to acconiplishthis resultas far Vais-possible, ythe Acentral webs of the rails shouldbe-made-wider,

Horin other wordsfliiglierin proportion to the `widths-,of the horizontal flanges vthanis shown Vl) or by any other suitable means to hold inthe dra-wings, in order to give the rails` the the rails securely in place.

i greatest strength. yrowed'finithefdrawings to econoniize space,

These webs werel'narand tolreep within the limits of'jthe sheets There may be instances where the span will be toofgreatfaiid one o r more central supports ofi-seine kinds-an arch or;- otherwise-may be required.. V1Our invention does not require iiinpossibilities,y but only, as far as possible,

to `do away .with central supports where over- .head supporting Ameans is; not readily available., *In allfsuch cases there will bea matein the use of.our-invention,which y is simple in construction and practical in operation, `being adaptedV to accommodate; it-

self' (to the differentconditions encountered inthe use of overhead. t-rackways, ,Uur invention is valso intended-to perinzt the use ofdilerent sizes of trolleys'with each of` the-,different sizes oftrack-rails ,by having a larger sizeof awheel supporting flange or flanges, on onefedge of the railweb, and a smaller Awheel supporting flange or flanges on the rack-rail upside.l down, larger ror smaller trolleys may be used 'on the larger or smaller wheel. supporting, flanges.

f lhat we claim isl. .In elevated traclrways, the combination different sizes of' track-rails having their adjoiningendsjconnected `together to forni acontinuous `traclrway, the smaller trackrails being adapted to bei placed'where a series oz-ove'rliead supports are available, and the n larger and stron ger track-rails being adapted 'to be placed where said overhead supports are 'not available.

2. Inelevated traclrways, tliecoinbinat-ion o ffdiflierent sizes oli track-rails having wtheir adgoining endscon'iiected together to forml a continuous trackway, the smaller track-rails .ee-h ether; whereby-1 .heller-'inlay pass bref ico f3. In velevated-vtrackweysfthe combination of different- :sizes of-ftraelrails having 'their adjoining ends connected together to; fermf-aJ feontinnous Aftraoklway, s'a-i'd track-rails veachY 'llmvi'ngfa central verticallydisposedWeb-W-ith Xfhorizor'itally fclisposed VWhe'el *supporting f'flanges on'fopposite edges thereof,` 'the' flanges "onli-the Opposite Aedges-'of -`^`Jthe fw'veb being fof 4di'iferent Widths-wherebytrolleys ofzdilerent Y V:Widths off-Wheel suppol'tnglenges-,the IWider jflanges i on' the smaller f traok-rai-ls being 'of snbstantillythe saine sizef-esthe'fsma'ller vflanges onthe next larger track-railywhereby -when sind znflgeswireinnhgnment:a trolley fWay-to'the other. Y y

5. "In elevated ftraekways, itheoonihination 'offdiffer'ei'it sizes of track-'railslhnvingdii'erent sizes offnzhel-fsnpportinglanges on 2opposite edges oeaclr trackdral,jtheismaller Wheel supportingi'lange offene vreilcorresponding in size'-With,theljargeflangeon the ithetraokwaylwill,beheld nelevated position.

-38.Q'Ineltwatedftrac1m1ays, traekLrail `section Aphevingvfon 'its-.upper land Alower edges Seide-mils to-everheadsupportsfaridto thereby hold the trackway in elevatedlposition. p

f elevalted -t'1.;iCkWays,' r'thee combination vellel-ierenti:sizes;o?traoklrilsfhewingftheir ac ,ljoin-ng ff ends- .-connectledfl together-#to inform a;continuous-trackwey?, thesmellentmeksrails being-f :idztptedito be `placed yWheref a;- series bf overhed .supports 'are available, iandithe la i;genand..stronger tweak-.mils:beingadapted to?. be, '.plaeed Where-r. seid .overhead .-fsnpports arelnot. avilable, .end-1 splicingparts-applied tOi the mfeetinggexids .di seidY vtra'ek-.railsitan'd seeuredfther'eto, i andLmeaHstO. `eorme'et said Y spleingpair'ts `to'Ioverheadsupports,Y thereby said frail-section l'being adapted to f be turned i with? ril -sections 'havngl trol-ley; supporting "los 

